the standard of good behaviour expected of every pupil in John Scottus National School
the overall principles and strategy for achieving this and
the processes for dealing with misbehaviour

It was drawn up by staff - with reference to ‘NEWB - Developing a Code of Behaviour (2008)’ and in consultation with parents. The schools Anti Bullying Policy can be found here

2. Aims

The overall aims of the policy are to:

support the implementation of the ethos
create a climate that encourages and reinforces good behaviour
create a positive and safe environment for teaching and learning
encourage students to take personal responsibility for their learning and their behaviour
help young people to mature into responsible participating citizens
build positive relationships of mutual respect and mutual support among students, staff and parents.
ensure that the school’s high expectations for the behaviour of all the members of the school community are widely known and understood.

3. Ethos

John Scottus School believes that in essence, all children are unique beings with limitless potential. Our mission is to be an inspiring and nurturing centre of learning that invites our students, parents and teachers to come to know their true Self.

We aim for our students to flourish personally and academically by encouraging the discovery and development of their unique gifts so that they can contribute creatively to broader society and the world around them.

In practice, this translates into three behaviour guidelines for every pupil:

Delighting in the present moment

Respecting yourself and others

Being truthful

4. Scope

This policy applies to all pupils:

at all times when in the school uniform
in school, and
on any school-related outings/trips

5. Principles

The Code of Behaviour has been developed to implement the following ‘best practice’ principles:

Providing clarity about expected behaviour
Affirming that everyone’s behaviour matters
Focusing on promoting good behaviour
Recognising that teacher-pupil relationships are crucial
Focusing on personal responsibility
Attending to the welfare of all students (including the right to participate in, and benefit from, education) and other members of the school community
Balancing the needs of pupils displaying challenging behaviour and other pupils
Ensuring fairness and equity
Promoting equality
Recognising educational vulnerability

6. Promoting Good Behaviour

The overall strategy of the code is to promote a culture of expected good behaviour, prevent misbehaviour and where it does occur, to endeavour to solve the underlying issue.

Good behaviour is promoted by a variety of means:

Great emphasis is put on teacher-pupil relationships.
Teachers understand the importance of acting as a unified group so that children get a single consistent message in relation to particular behaviour.
In-class:

regular discussions; regular reminders by teachers;
Highlighting, rewarding & celebrating good behaviour;
School and class rules on display.
The rules will be expressed age-appropriately by the teacher.

Whole-school: themed weeks, regular topic in assembly, school rules on display
Teachers believe that a coordinated and consistent agreed approach between parents and the school is the best foundation for good pupil behaviour.

Therefore, parental support for this code of behaviour is essential and is expected.

The Principal is responsible for ensuring that substitute and specialist teachers are aware of the school rules.

7. Expected Behaviour

School Rules

All children are expected to always …

Take care of everyone including yourself
Give attention & participate fully
Follow all instructions immediately
Speak truthfully & beautifully
Take care of everything

These are on display in the school and in each classroom.

Classroom Rules:

These are set by the individual class teacher, after discussion with the pupils. They vary from class to class. They are reviewed by the Principal to ensure that they are consistent with COB. They are kept on display in the classroom.

Common Activity Rules: Bus, Break, Lunch, Yard, secret garden, Beginning & End of day. See Appendix A.

Movement Rules: inside the school building, outside. See Appendix A.

The following two sets of rules (Common Activity Rules and Movement Rules): are whole-school rules, which apply to children in all classes. They are decided upon by staff as a whole and amended as necessary when circumstances change.

8. Implementing the Code

The way the school and classroom rules are implemented will vary a little from class to class but teachers will follow the principles outlined above. Teachers will take account of individual situations while having regard to the overall needs of the school.

Each teacher must implement an easy-to-understand behaviour system to recognise, promote, celebrate and acknowledge the positive behaviour we wish to see both in class and in the school.

Communicating: Where there are individual behaviour issues, the teacher will report these to parents via phone call, at the school gate, email, in school reports or at organised meetings throughout the year.

9. Solving a Misbehaviour Problem

Behaviour Categories

Good Behaviour

Misbehaviour

Respect for self & others

Assault – verbal

Assault – physical

Giving attention & participating fully

Not participating

Untidy work

Inattentiveness to the task

Inappropriate physical activity

Follow Instructions

Not carrying out the instruction

Distracting another child

Talking at the wrong time

Truthful & beautiful speech

Telling lies

Bad language

Hurtful language

Respect for property

Stealing

Vandalizing

Careless or negligent of property

The approach to misbehaviour is to solve the problem, not react, i.e. change the behaviour and so, prevent re-occurrence. Teachers will employ a variety of means to deal with misbehaviour including: keeping it as local as possible, distinguishing the pupil from the behaviour, involving parents, other teachers and the Principal etc.

It has been found that in cases of regular or serious misbehaviour, extensive parent-teacher communication is necessary.

Sometimes teachers will decide that some form of restriction or prohibition (sanction) is the best way to change behaviour. Sanctions are intended to change behaviour not punish. If a particular one does not work, then the teacher will stop using it and try a different one.

Prior to applying sanctions, the teacher will have signalled in a variety of ways - including gestural and verbal reminders & warnings - that the behaviour is inappropriate.

Children will be made aware of the format and meaning of warnings. They will also be informed that sanctions are in place.

In general, sanctions can be categorised into the following groups:

time-out in own or other class, of varying lengths of time appropriate to age. The school will ensure that this does not deny any child access to the curriculum on a regular basis. (Time-out and/or loss of playtime may also be used to contain a behavioural situation in order for the lesson to proceed.)
loss of privileges
Completing a specific task or assignment during playtime of varying lengths of time appropriate to age
suspension, in-school and out-of-school,
expulsion

Appendices A, B & C give examples of more specific behavioural processes, which may be operational.

Where a child is unable or unwilling to comply with the school or class rules, it may be necessary to devise an Individual Behaviour Support Plan. This will be devised in conjunction with parents and the school.

Record-keeping: When there is a regular pattern of misbehaviour or an incident deemed serious by the Class Teacher, instances and sanctions will be recorded.

Communication: Parents and the Principal will be informed if a pattern of misbehaviour develops or if there is a single instance of serious misbehaviour.

Class Trips & Outings (including swimming): Eligibility for class trips and outings is dependent on good behaviour. Teachers will refuse to allow a child to go on a trip or outing if they believe there is a Health or Safety risk due to a child’s inability to behave correctly and follow school rules.

On class trips, misbehaviour may result in children being excluded from further activities with immediate effect. Parents are responsible for all costs relating to the curtailment of their child’s participation.

10. Suspension and expulsion

Suspension and expulsion may be necessary for serious misbehaviour or repeated serious misbehaviour. In both situations, the requirement for fair procedure is recognised, particularly with regard to the right to be heard and the right to impartiality.

Suspension Process

The Principal investigates the situation and makes a draft decision. The Principal informs the parents and offers them a meeting to discuss further. The Principal makes a final decision & informs the parents. If suspension is decided, the parents can decide whether or not to appeal to the Board of Management (BOM). If necessary the BOM (or a sub-committee) meets as soon as practically possible. Again the parents are entitled to attend & contribute. The BOM decides.

No single period of suspension will exceed one day, without BOM approval.

In particular circumstances, the Principal may decide there is a need for immediate suspension on safety grounds prior to due process.

Expulsion Process

The Principal investigates the situation and makes a draft recommendation to the Board of Management (BOM). The Principal informs the parents. The BOM (or sub-committee) meets to consider. Parents are entitled to attend and contribute. The BOM makes a decision & informs parents.

Appendices

The Appendices are subject to update through Staff Meetings whenever necessary.

Children will be informed by their teacher. Parents will not be informed.

Appendix A: Whole-School Common Activity and Movement Rules

A1. Movement inside the school building

Walk quietly; give way to adults; “up by the wall, down by the bannister” on the stairs walking up by the wall and hold the bannister coming down the stairs.

A2. Beginning & End of Day

Direct contact with the teacher, this can take the form of a handshake, fist pump or other imaginative ways for each student to connect with the teacher at the start and end of every day.

A3. Break/ Lunch

Enter the lunchroom in silence; sit down & wait silently for instructions. Remember to serve your neighbours, to start with fruit or salad and not to start eating until the teacher indicates.

A4. Yard (further points here)

Do not leave the yard without permission. Light tipping only. No screaming or shouting. At the end of playtime freeze on the first whistle; line up in silence on the second whistle leaving a space between you and the pupil in front. Wait quietly for your teacher.

A5. Outside the school (including going to & from the Secret Garden)

Walk briskly, in pairs, in line, talking only to your partner. Keep up with the pair in front of you.

A6. Bus

Sit in assigned seat, buckle up, stay seated, facing forward, leave all armrests in place, no feet on seats

A.7 Secret Garden

Stay where you can be seen, If it is on the ground leave it on the ground - If it's on a plant, leave it on the plant. If it is dangerous, tell the teacher. No climbing trees, big or small.

Stay away from back gardens. When the first whistle goes - Freeze

Second whistle - walk to the line. If you take it off - remember to put it back on.

Appendix B:

Behavioural protocol

To encourage appropriate behaviour the teacher will give an instruction, give wait time, look for and acknowledge appropriate behaviour.

Some or all of the following will be followed to manage inappropriate behaviour:

1. Ignore inappropriate behaviour, increase physical proximity, question lack of compliance

2. Remind the child of appropriate behaviour

3. Offer the child a choice of behaving properly or facing sanctions

4. If inappropriate behaviour continues suitable sanctions will be applied

During this stage, the child will be warned of what these sanctions include such as being at risk being excluded from the class.

5. If behaviour is dangerous or prevents learning, an exit strategy will apply.

The child will be asked to exit the class and sent/brought to another class.
If deemed necessary the child's parents will be informed.
If the child is is in 3rd-6th class they will complete a Behaviour Record sheet which will be kept by the their Class Teacher.
If the misbehaviour continues will be asked to exit the class and sent/brought to Deputy Principal.
On return to the class, if the misbehaviour continues they will be sent to the Principal.

Appendix C:

Behaviour protocol to prevent disruption and misbehaviour towards anyone else.

Consistent: everyone, every time, every situation: class, hallway, PE (incl Karate), Swimming, Sanskrit, Philosophy, Assembly, Yard, choir etc etc

3 steps to class exit plan, with 3 extra steps for children with special needs

No discussion, no explanation

Applicable in all locations

Some or all of the following will be followed to manage inappropriate behaviour:

The teacher or pupil can invoke time out. This could be the child sitting quietly, in the classroom or in an agreed designated location, for a few minutes, if either feels it is necessary.

Step up example:

Situation: John banging pen on desk

Step 1	Teacher: “John stop!” Response 1a: John stops; no further action Response 1b: John continues Teacher: “John, one”
Step 2	Response 2a: John stops; no further action Response 2b: John continues Teacher: “John, warning”
Step 3	Response 3a: John stops, no further action Response 3b: John continues Teacher: “John, two”
Step 4	Response 4a: John stops; he stays on a ‘2’ Response 4b: John continues Teacher: “John, final”
Step 5	Response 5a: John stops; he stays on a ‘2’ Response 5b: John continues Teacher: “John, three” & teacher initiates exit plan

Serious incident

In the case of a serious incident, there may be immediate class exit or suspension.

Step down:

If John is on a ‘2’ and behaves correctly for 1 hour, he steps down to a ‘1”

If he is on a ‘1’ and behaves correctly for 1 hour he steps down to altogether.

It is the pupil’s job to remind the teacher of this.

Interpretation

It is the adult’s job to decide what constitutes ‘step up’ behaviour

Exit plan

In own classroom; go to another class for 30m

Subject Teacher Class - go back to own classroom

At PE, yard or swimming, go to sideline

If refusal then suspension.

Recording/Handover

Verbal handover can suffice and the class teacher can record any necessary information regarding behaviour.

If it’s consistent then either a notebook or Google doc to record each incident.

All information must be factual including the day and time of the incident.

Communication

Class teacher to inform parents of incidents where behaviour has not improved.

Suspension

After one exit, reset, return to class; if disruption starts suspension

Suspension lasts for the rest of the day

More than two suspensions in a 5 school day period, leads to a full day’s suspension

Appendix D:

Positive behaviour system - Ladder - incorporating exit plan

All teachers must implement an easy-to-use and understand behaviour system (for both staff and children) within their class to recognise, promote, celebrate and acknowledge the positive behaviour we wish to see both in class and in the school.

The following is an example of such a reward system is the:

Ladder system

The ladder is made up of 9 pieces of coloured card with each child's name.

Each day children start off at the starting card on a ladder. Blue Card

There are five steps up - Green Card

And 3 steps down yellow card, Orange card, Red card.

As the children show good behaviour they move up the ladder.

They can also move down the ladder for showing poor behaviour.

Exit Plan

1st Red

If a child displays poor behaviour and goes down the ladder and lands on Red they then initiate the exit plan.

Once a child lands on red they go to another class for an agreed period of time, (age dependent).

Once the students return to class they are moved back up to Orange on the ladder.

From here the child can move up the ladder or down the ladder.

If the students continues with the poor behaviour they are moved on to red.

2nd Red

If this is the case they then must go to the Deputy Principal.

This could be for a period of time or simply a conversation.

Once the students return to class they are moved back up to Orange on the ladder. If the student displays good behaviour they can can continue to move up the ladder.

However, if the student continues to shows poor behaviour they are moved on to red.

3rd Red

If this is the case they then must go to the Principal.

This could be for a period of time or simply a conversation.

The next step is dependent on the behaviour if deemed serious poor behaviour it may result in the students' parents being called and the student being sent home.

Alternatively, they may be given a further chance before the above step is taken.